The wheat varieties bred for traditional wheatbelt with the low and medium rainfall may limit yield potential when grown in the high rainfall area. Lengthening the construction period duration (CPD) of the spike growth may increase the sink size and therefore potential yield. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships between yield, flowering time and the duration of spike growth period and to investigate whether yield can be improved by lengthening CPD.
Over the past five years considerable research has been undertaken assessing options for water repellent sands but less has been done for the gravel soils. The aim of this research is to look at soil water repellence management options for sandy gravel soils over a four year period (until December 2018). This research consisted of on-farm strip trials comprised of five different treatments for water repellence (Control, Paired row, minimal disturbance and two types of wetting agents) in combination with two cultivation treatments (modified one-way plough or no plough). The first year study showed that the adoption of a strategic tillage practice (one-way plough) provided a significant improvement in terms of crop establishment and grain yields on a moderately repellent sandy gravel.
One-off soil inversion and deep soil mixing can ameliorate repellent soils, incorporate nutrients and remove some compaction. Trials to date have shown benefits in crop productivity and yield but a more detailed understanding of the changes in soil properties and crop performance over time is required to better understand the drivers of changes in productivity and implications of buried topsoil. This trial was located in Badgingarra on pale, yellow and deep water repellent sand.
Many people perceive that putting fertilizer with the same nutrient analysis on crops will result in similar yields. This trial was designed to demonstrate the yield differences in using a blended NPK fertiliser as compared to a compound NPK fertiliser. Conducted on red brown sandplain, the trial was located in East Arrino, north of Three Springs.
Omission trials are a good visual way of highlighting the importance of each nutrient. In this trial we looked at each macronutrient and its importance to canola. Soil tests run through NUlogic suggested the potential for deficiencies in nitrogen (N), sulphur (S) and possibly potassium (K). This trial was conducted in Dandaragan on sandy loam soil. The site was very responsive to nitrogen (N) fertiliser.
This trial was designed to assess amelioration of subsoil acidity using a range of tillage methods for incorporating surface applied lime into acidic subsoils and the impacts of tillage and lime on crop productivity. The trial site was held on deep yellow sand in Dandaragan and consisted of eight tillage treatments with three lime rates applied.
Increasing the pH of acidic subsoils in the West Midlands is necessary to increase crop water use and crop yields. A fast way of doing so is to mix lime into the subsoil; spading and mouldboarding are two common methods used in the West Midlands. Both methods are relatively expensive, so this trial aims to assess the effectiveness of a modified one-way plough at achieving subsoil pH change. This trial was located in Warradarge on deep sandy duplex soil.
These projects aimed to address the questions "Is this paddock performing up to potential, and if not, why not?" by persuading interested growers to apply test strips of various management practices (windrows, fertilisers, lime, wetting agents, cultivation) across their paddocks and soil types. The presence or absence of visual responses to these strips should stimulate further plant, tissue and soil sampling for analyses and the total results would be interpreted by experts. Lack of participation in the diagnostic projects, considerable value was gained from opportunistic sampling and diagnostics associated with observed growth variations in paddocks from crops across windrows and from better growth patches.
This trial was one of a series (other trials at Eradu, Cunderdin, Esperance) investigating the value of at-seeding fungicides in terms of replacing early foliar fungicides or supplementing later foliar applications. The trial was located in Dandaragan. The results showed that fungicide seed treatment or in-furrow did not affect germination or emergence.
This trial was conducted in Dandaragan to determining the value in $/ha for each weed control component in the canola crop within specific herbicide technology systems and then developing a software model to calculate the individual and cumulative value to growers of each of these elements for weed control in a “Integrated Weed Control Package”. The site experienced low starting rainfall with staggered plant emergence and then with further rainfall plot populations were within 75 to 85% of targeted plants/m2. All pests and diseases were controlled to an acceptably high level.
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